Inter Milan 0-0 Barcelona

MILAN - Inter played out a goalless draw reigning European champions Barcelona in their opening match of the 2009/10 Champions League.

The Nerazzurri produced a solid display at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, keeping the Catalans at bay with some staunch defending and hitting them on the break with some lightning fast counter-attacks.

Mourinho, who announced ten of his eleven starters in the pre-match press conference, gave Sulley Muntari the nod ahead of Dejan Stankovic and the Ghanaian posed a threat down the left wing before he made way for the Serbian early in the second half.

The early chances of the Group F opener were Barça's. Messi had a close-range header saved by Julio Cesar, who kept out a Xavi effort after Daniel Alves and Ibrahimovic wasted good opportunities for the visitors.

Inter stepped up the tempo on the half hour and Milito saw his crisp shot blocked Valdes, before Sneijder rifled a long-range effort over the bar after elegantly turning Keita.

The Dutchman went closer as Inter fired a warning to the Blaugrana straight after the restart. Eto'o controlled sublimely and played into the path of Sneijder, who sent his low shot inches wide of Valdes' left-hand post. Thiago Motta followed up with a long-range effort that was comfortably saved by the Barça keeper.

Guardiola's side settled back into their rhythm and produced a spell of intense pressure which was soaked up by Inter's watertight defence, with the central pairing of Lucio and Samuel making precise interventions to deny Messi and co.

As in the first half, Inter waited for the chance to counter-attack the Spaniards and Milito expertly held off challenges from Abidal and Puyol before pulling back for second-half substitute Stankovic to drive narrowly over the bar.

An uncharacteristic miss in front of goal by Messi almost went punished by Eto'o, whose precise low free kick in the closing minutes forced a difficult save from Valdes.

Dynamo Kiev beat our Matchday 2 opponents Rubin Kazan 3-1 in tonight's other Group F match.

NOte: Not bad for first league in Champions League

Source: inter.it

Inter Milan 2-0 Parma; the great combination of Milito and Eto'o

MILAN - Samuel Eto'o scored a second-half stunner and his strike partner Diego Milito added a cheeky goal as Inter saw off a gritty Parma at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

The Cameroonian striker's goal - straight out of the top drawer - came at just the right time, with frustration setting in after seventy goalless minutes.

Two minutes short of the ninety, Il Principe tucked home Balotelli's cross to make sure of the points.

Chivu and Stankovic returned from international duty with the flu, forcing José Mourinho to make two changes to the team that beat AC Milan 4-0 a fortnight ago. Santon slotted in at left-back while Vieira patrolled the right side of midfield with Zanetti filling the central role.

Eleven minutes into the match Inter had two quick chances to take the lead. Sneijder latched on to Eto'o's deflected cross and saw his snapshot parried by Mirante. Thiago Motta failed to find the target with his header from the resulting corner.

Parma's only meaningful chance of the opening forty-five fell to their captain Morrone, who wriggled into the box before sending a diagonal shot straight at Julio Cesar. Inter launched a fast counter-attack and Mirante kept out a fierce drive from Zanetti.

A goalless first half called for a change in formation and Mourinho threw on Balotelli in place of Thiago Motta. The nineteen-year-old Italian made an immediate impact as the Nerazzurri looked more dangerous coming forward.

Parma, though, were always a threat and Inter youth academy product Jonathan Biabiany made two teasing runs, pulling his shot wide after the second.

The breakthrough came in the 71st minute when Eto'o received from Balotelli and turned Lanzafame to create space to curl his brilliant shot beyond Mirante and into the top right corner.

Rene Krhin came on for Sneijder in the 78th minute and celebrated his competitive debut for Inter ten later when Milito controlled Balotelli's right-wing cross in the box and fired past Mirante with the outside of his right foot.

Inter 2-0 Parma (HT: 0-0)

Scorers: Eto'o 71, Milito 88.

source: inter.it

UEFA Champions League: Inter Milan VS Barcelona

MILAN - José Mourinho's Inter are gearing up for a new season in Europe and the Nerazzurri get their 2009/10 UEFA Champions League campaign under way on Wednesday 16 September with a home match against reigning champions Barcelona.

From Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September, Inter season ticket holders can reserve their seats at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for our opening Group F clash. Matchday 1 tickets will go on general sale from Monday 7 September. In both cases, tickets will be available at branches of Banca Popolare di Milano, Banca di Legnano and online through inter.it.

Source: inter.it

AC Milan 0-4 Inter Milan

MILAN - Thiago Motta and Diego Milito scored in their first competitive Milan derby, Maicon added a third before the break, and Dejan Stankovic struck midway through the second half as Inter completed a memorable victory over their cross-city rivals.

The Italian champions bounced back from their 1-1 draw with Bari in style, sending AC Milan, who were reduced to ten men after the dismissal of Gattuso on 40 minutes, to their heaviest derby defeat since 1974.

José Mourinho threw new signing Wesley Sneijder straight into the fray and the Dutch midfielder fired an early warning with a trademark long-range drive, forcing a difficult one-handed save from Storari.

Inter's first-time passing was mouthwatering and the move that led to our opening goal was text book stuff. Thiago Motta received from Zanetti and continued his run into the box to curl first-time past the Milan keeper after deft touches from Eto'o and Milito.

Milito opened his scoring account for Inter with the second goal seven minutes later from the penalty spot after Gattuso carelessly brought down Eto'o in the box. The Italy midfielder's personal nightmare continued when he was sent off for a second yellow after fouling Sneijder.

Mourinho's men took full advantage and increased their lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half, Maicon outwitting Jankulovski on the right and one-twoing with Milito before rifling past Storari.

Inter continued their domination in the second half and Eto'o fired a right-foot shot just wide in the opening seconds. Sneijder came even closer with a long-range effort that dipped inches over the bar.

Thiago Motta pulled up with a high problem and on came Sulley Muntari, who assisted Stankovic for Inter's fourth midway through the half. The Serbian picked his spot and let rip and long-range swerveshot that flew into the top corner.

Stankovic was denied a second with Milito seeing his rebound saved as the Nerazzurri came forward in search of a fifth on what was a humiliating evening for Milan.

AC Milan 0-4 Inter (HT: 0-3)

Scorers: Thiago Motta 29, Milito (pen) 36, Maicon 45+1, Stankovic 67.

AC Milan: 30 Storari; 15 Zambrotta, 13 Nesta, 33 Thiago Silva, 18 Jankulovski; 8 Gattuso (10 Seedorf 46), 21 Pirlo, 16 Flamini; 80 Ronaldinho (11 Huntelaar 64); 7 Pato, 22 Borriello (23 Ambrosini 46).
Subs not used: 31 Roma, 5 Onyewu, 9 Inzaghi, 20 Abate.
Coach: Leonardo.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar; 13 Maicon, 6 Lucio, 25 Samuel, 26 Chivu; 4 Zanetti, 5 Stankovic, 8 Thiago Motta (11 Muntari 60); 10 Sneijder (14 Vieira 74); 22 Milito (45 Balotelli 79), 9 Eto'o.
Subs not used: 1 Toldo, 2 Cordoba, 18 Suazo, 39 Santon.
Coach: José Mourinho.

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Bologna).

Booked: Flamini 6, Samuel 34, Gattuso 35, 40, Chivu 81.
Sent off: Gattuso 40.

taken from: inter.it